Donald Trump has signed a new executive order, banning people from six countries, primarily Muslim-majority nations, from entering the US for 90 days. Iraq is no longer included in the ban, following an agreement to add extra vetting measures to those applying for US visas.
The directive, which also includes a ban on all refugees for 120 days, will come into effect on 16 March. The previous order, issued in late January, caused mass protests, and confusion at airports before a federal court blocked it and left it on hold.
A 90-day travel ban will again be given to citizens of Iran, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya, and Somalia, which are the six nations that were part of the original order in January. White House officials say that the removal of Iraq from the list is due to a boost in data-sharing and US visa screening by its government. Refugees who have already been approved to enter the US by the State Department will not be affected by the new order, and the indefinite ban on all refugees from Syria has also been lifted.
The ban will not affect people from the countries in question who already hold green cards, and religious minorities are also no longer given priority. John Kelly, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General, and Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State, unveiled the new order on Monday morning at a joint press conference.